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Constable Country, Suffolk and Essex

A 4 night /5 day holiday to Suffolk and Essex. Staying at the 4* Marks Tey Hotel, Nr Colchester

Tour Features

Stay at the 4 Star Marks Tey Hotel

Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

Explore Constable Country

The Beth Chatto Gardens

Helmingham Hall

Melton Mowbray

Full Tour Details

Sunday 28th May 2017

Departing from Washway Farm at 8am, after making a comfort stop we will arrive at one of England’s grandest stately homes.

Audley End House was once a palace in all but name and is renowned as one of the finest Jacobean houses in England. Take time to wander around its many rooms, enjoy the refurbished Victorian Service Wing, try out the costumes in the Stable block or explore the beautiful gardens planned by ‘Capability’ Brown.

There’s a lot to see and do and with two restaurants a chance to have a good lunch.

From here we continue our drive to our hotel The Marks Tey Hotel near Colchester.

There will be plenty of time for you to settle in before we meet up for our evening meal.

Monday 29th May 2017

After a leisurely breakfast we head off at 9.30 to explore Constable Country in the company of an official Constable guide who will accompany us on the coach.

We will travel to the major landmarks of his life with time at East Bergholt, Dedham and Sudbury which was also the home of Thomas Gainsborough.

There will be plenty of time to explore each location before returning to the hotel for our evening meal.

Tuesday 30th May 2017

This morning we firstly drive to The Beth Chatto Gardens. Beth Chatto OBE is an award-winning plantswoman.

Her work here at the Gardens began in 1960. She took an overgrown wasteland of brambles, parched gravel and boggy ditches, transforming it using plants adapted by nature to thrive in different conditions.

An inspirational, informal garden has developed. Beth continues to oversee the development of the Gardens, and works closely with her team.

After some free time here we drive to Woodbridge and nearby Sutton Ho, the Anglo-Saxon Royal burial site. (NT)

We will have time to walk around the ancient burial mound and discover the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon King and all his treasures.

Wednesday 31st May 2017

Heading off at 9.30 we travel to Lavenham; England’s finest medieval village boasting some 320 listed buildings.

Try part of the Heritage Walk to get a true feel of this wonderful village.

After lunch possibly at the Swan we drive to Helmingham Hall one of the regions renown House and gardens with its red deer, spectacular moated Hall in mellow patterned red brick with its famous gardens the whole combines to give an extraordinary impression of beauty and tranquillity.

A classic parterre flanked by hybrid musk roses lies before a stunning walled kitchen garden with exquisite herbaceous borders and beds of vegetables.

Thursday 1st June2017.

After checking out of the hotel we head towards Stamford in Lincolnshire continuing our journey alongside Rutland Water through Oakham and on to Melton Mowbray.

Here we have our lunch break; it might be a ploughman’s lunch with the area’s own Stilton cheese accompanying a Melton Mowbray pork pie!

After a good chance to stretch our legs and find out what this bustling market town has to offer us we then head for home and allowing for a comfort break on the way and no traffic delays, we hope to arrive back in the north west at 6pm.